Supporting Enterprises at Sundarban

Community dependence on forest resources is very high in the Villages, situated at the fringe area of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve & Reserve Forest. To reduce the pressure on forest resources and biodiversity, livelihood augmentation of the dependent community in forest fringe area is extremely important. The idea behind this project is that every house almost has ponds either small or big even though they are landless which are thoroughly underutilized. This project would help the non work population to earn from their small ponds and through nutritional kitchen gardens by organic farming and link those with market channel to get maximum benefit out of it. This project will use cluster approach so that the benefits would multiply and impact will be more. Model for canal fisheries will be worked out. By the proposed intervention fishing dependency on river will decrease and as a result there would be less offence and minimal tiger victim from these villages of Sundarbans.

Funded By: RBS Foundation, India

Project Duration: 2017 to 2020

1. Handholding and individual planning for the integrated farming model based on fishery for 150 families of the identified village is in place by 2018 and 3 km avenue plantation on village side of the embankments for fuelwood, fodder and also horticulture purpose by Mar 2020.
2. By June 2020, community derives equal benefits from the interventions and there would be 50% increase in income.
3. By September 2020, knowledge for best practices disseminated through concluding workshop with trainer stewards.

1. Project has started on October, 2017 and a project office has been set up at Kumirmari
2. Stakeholder analysis and orientation meeting with different Stakeholders are in progress
3. Beneficiary selection is in progress